How can I tell if my loved one is receiving poor care in a Los Angeles nursing home?

21 Nov 2018

When you choose a nursing facility for a loved one, you are putting a large amount of trust into the facility to properly care for your loved one. Unfortunately, it is very common for nursing homes to injure and neglect their patients. As a loved one, it’s critical that you be able to recognize the signs of a poor-quality nursing home so that you can identify a problem before it gets worse.

Many family members live out of state and away from their parent in the nursing home. In that situation, other than visits, most of your information may be provided by staff at the home. If you stay in contact consistently with the staff and ask specific questions, you may be able to monitor your family member’s care. If your loved one is able to speak and coherent, you can get some insight about their condition by speaking with them directly.

However, the best way to assess the condition of a family member is to visit them in person. While visiting a family member, trust your instincts, and never assume that everything a staff person says is accurate. It can be very difficult to get reliable information from some elderly loved ones. There are some signs you can look for though which can be an indication of a problem. Those include bed sores, dirty clothing, behavioral changes that occur suddenly, bruising, broken bones, cuts, sudden weight loss, or the appearance of being overly medicated.

If you do notice alarming signs, the situation may be resolved by discussing it with a staff member or the director of the nursing home. In very serious situations, you may be ready to take legal action. If you believe your loved one was harmed at a Los Angeles-area nursing home, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call me today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.